Forever
by KismetWinchester
Summary: Dean and Castiel have finally admitted their feelings for each other. Thank Chuck. Now comes first dates, awkward first kisses and Sam and Charlie giggling like fangirls in the background. Oh, and Gabriel showing up with Dean and Castiel's half human/half angel baby. Wait... What? You heard me. Established Destiel.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N I apologize for the first time I posted this. I copied it directly from my Ao3 account and it screwed it up for some reason. Hopefully this is posted correctly now without any errors.**

 **Dean and Castiel have finally admitted their feelings for each other. Thank Chuck. Now comes first dates, awkward first kisses and Sam and Charlie giggling like fangirls in the background. Oh, and Gabriel showing up with Dean and Castiel's half human/half angel baby.**

 **Wait... What?You heard me.**

 **Everything begins to fall into place and for the first time in a long time, The Winchesters and their family are happy. They just hope it will actually last.**  
 **Somewhere across the country, Metatron sits in a shady motel room, the stench of urine and sweat permeating the air. He clenches his fist in anger as he hears the news about Dean and Castiel's new child. Suddenly, a plan begins to form in his mind, one that erases all the anger and makes a smile spread onto his face. It is horrible, it is vile, and even he knows there will be no place in Heaven for him once he's accomplished this.**

 **Oh, well. The path to revenge tends to be a lonely one, and he is prepared to pay the price.**

"So, get this," Sam said, turning his laptop so that Dean could see the screen. "Four people dead in one week. Their hearts ripped out of their chests and missing." He looked almost excited at the prospect.

"Sounds like werewolves," Dean replied, sipping his glass of Coke. "And definitely our kind of thing."

Sam nodded, tapping a finger thoughtfully on the table. "It's only a few hours drive from here. Wanna check it out or should we see if one of the others can take it?"

"That's still so strange."

"What is?"

"The fact that we even have _others_ to call. And that one of them is the actual King of Hell. We've done this gig solo for so long that I've forgotten what it was like to be able to rely on anyone but you and Cas."

The younger Winchester shrugged, leaning back in the booth. "i guess once I started dating his mom he realized we had to be on the same side."

The bunker had filled up pretty fast in the past few months. Bobby had decided to set up base there, wanting to be closer to the Winchesters in case they needed him. Charlie had stopped being a nomad and decided to put down roots there as well, even getting a job at a thrift store in the city. When they got Claire from Jody's they set the teen up in her own room, something she hadn't been able to have in a very long time. Yeah, and Rowena and Sam had gotten together, too (much to Dean's chagrin at first), which meant Crowley had finally stopped trying to plot against them and just accepted them as allies.

"Yeah, cause' that's still not weird or anything."

"Says the guy who is dating an _Angel_ of the Lord. Isn't that some sort of sin or something?" Sam teased.

Dean pointed an accusatory finger at his brother. "Hey, that's partially you and Claire's fault. You meddlers just had to get involved."

Sam shot him Bitch Face #12. "Well, I'm sorry, Dean, but it got pretty old pretty fast. Sometimes it was like you and Cas forgot I was even in the room still, because you were too busy eye fucking each other. Even Claire noticed after 5 minutes of being around you two."

"I'm a good looking guy," Dean said with a cocky grin. "Can't blame the nerdy little dude for checking out the merchandise on occasion."

"On _occasion_?" Sam squawked out. "The tension was so thick between you two that even _I_ needed a cold shower afterwards."

Dean looked unapologetic at his brother's plight. "You should be used to it by now, Sammy. I used to get more phone numbers than a New York City phone book."

Sam was unimpressed. "I still can't believe you never noticed how he felt about you."

"I thought he just liked me as a friend." Dean absently twisted his straw wrapper. "I just assumed he didn't understand the concept of personal space."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Dean, normal friends do not stare at each other the way you two do. Nor do they rebel against Heaven, repeatedly die for them, kill their family - "

"I get it, I get it. Calm down, Sasquatch." Dean raised his hands in surrender. "I'm a dumb oblivious idiot."

" _Were_ a dumb oblivious idiot. Until Claire locked you two up in the dungeon for the entire day."

"Hey, I was gonna tell him!" Dean said indignantly. "Eventually," he muttered.

"Sure you were," Sam replied, picking up his menu and scanning through it, as if he was going to order anything but rabbit food as usual.

There was a sudden flutter of wings next to them and both brothers casually looked up, used to the angel's random appearances by now. Dean's greeting died on his tongue as he spotted the huge teddy bear in Castiel's arms, that was almost as big as he was.

"Hello, Dean. Sam."

"Uh, hey Cas? Whatcha got there?" Dean asked, gesturing to the monstrosity.

The angel smiled broadly. "Now that we are in an amorous relationship, I decided to do some research on human courtship rituals."

Sam burst into laughter but quickly hid it behind a fisted hand when Dean shot him a glare. Dean glanced back at his boyfriend. "Yeah? So you figured... a giant ass teddy bear?"

"Yes. It is customary to give your significant other some sort of romantic sentiment to show how much they mean to you. I noticed that those things were usually stuffed animals, flowers or jewelry. Since you don't seem to enjoy gardening or earrings, I decided it was best to go with the stuffed animal."

Sam let out another bark of laughter while Dean turned red. Other patrons at the restaurant were looking at them with amusement, like they were a bunch of adorable puppies on display at the pet store. "Thanks, Cas," Dean said with a clearing of his throat, awkwardly holding out his hands for the bear.

Castiel proudly handed it to the hunter. "Do you like it, Dean? I tried really hard to find one you liked. Do you see? This one has green eyes just like yours."

Dean couldn't help but feel his heart melt at that, despite the situation that had quickly veered off into 'chick flick' territory. Dean had never been one to do random romantic stuff like this, nor was he usually on the receiving end. They had only been officially together for a couple weeks, but had yet to go on their first date yet. Cases kept coming up that prevented them from taking a day or two to hang out.

"Is... was that not right?" Castiel asked nervously, fiddling with the lapels on his ever present trench coat.

"I love it, babe. Thanks," Dean reassured him.

The angel beamed and sat down in the booth next to Dean.

Sam was looking at them both with hearts in his eyes. Dean resisted the urge to punch him in the face. "Aww," he said, doing everything but patting them both on the heads.

"Shut up, Bitch," Dean groused, sliding over more to make room for his angel.

"What? I think it's cute. Jerk."

"Yeah? I _dare you_ to go buy Rowena a huge stuffed animal."

Sam frowned. "She would probably set it on fire..."

"Case in point." Dean pointed to the massive bear at his side. "I don't care what you say, I like it."

Castiel looked like he had just been told God Himself had approved the gift. "I'm really glad you do, Dean." He paused, suddenly, his brow furrowing. "Where's Claire?"

"With her Grandpa Bobby, learning how to shoot properly."

The angel's happy face turned stern. "Dean. I told you I didn't want her anywhere near the guns! They are very dangerous!"

Dean crossed his arms over his chest. "Cas, we are hunters. She's _our_ kid now, and with that comes certain... precautions. There's always another evil son of a bitch around the corner just waiting to get the drop on us. I want her to be prepared."

"We will protect her," Castiel said with determination. The brothers both believed that, but Castiel tended to be overprotective of Claire. "She will have no need to use a gun or anything else."

Dean rested a hand on the angel's arm. "I know you want to keep her away from this. But like I told you when you decided to get her from Jody's - she's gonna be in just as much danger as we are."

Castiel looked away, guilt in his ocean blue eyes. "I-I missed her. I know I should have just let Jody care for her - "

"Hey, I get it. She's a good kid." Dean smiled at the other man. "But if she's going to be a part of our lives, I would rather her be safe than sorry. That means learning the family business, and learning how to protect herself. Honestly I wish she didn't have to, but... it's too late now."

"It's my fault," Castiel nearly whispered. "If I hadn't taken Jimmy she would never have gone through this."

Sam leaned forward, a sincere look on his face. "Cas, we have all made a bunch of stupid mistakes. We can't change the past, but we can change the future, and at least try to make it a good life for all of us. Claire isn't alone anymore. She has us. You did what you had to back then, and she understands that now."

The angel smiled again, some of the guilt melting off his face. "Thank you. I apologize for ruining your meal."

"Hey," Dean said, reaching out and grasping Castiel's hand. "You didn't ruin anything, man. In fact, we were thinking about going on a werewolf hunt. Wanna come?"

Castiel nodded. "With you? Always."


	2. Chapter 2

Bobby Singer loved his family. _All_ of them. The Winchesters, Charlie, Claire. They were what made life worth living.

For years he had happily watched over two boys who had saved the world over and over, proud beyond measure at all they had accomplished. Sure, they made mistakes here and there, but he knew everything they did was with good intentions. He knew better than most how blurry those lines could be when the life of a loved one was at stake. You do things you might not normally do, you sacrifice everything without a second thought in the hopes that the person you did everything for would be spared. It didn't always work out that way, though, and a long time ago he learned not to take anything for granted.

Losing his wife had caused him great pain. It was the start of a different kind of life for him, one that he knew would end up in more tragedy. Through all the demons and the angels and the world almost ending, he had somehow found this group of family to love and care for. He always said that family didn't end with blood, well, it doesn't start that way either. John Winchester might have been a son of a bitch, but at least he was smart enough to leave his kids with Bobby as often as he could.

When Dean and Castiel had gotten together, the older hunter wasn't surprised. Why should he be? He had eyes and a brain, damn it. The only thing he _was_ surprised about was how long it had taken them in the first place. Eight long years later and he was fifty dollars richer, thanks to a bet he made with Sam. He had more faith in Dean than his brother did that one day the older Winchester would get his head out of his ass and see what was right in front of him. '

The two of them adopting Claire was something unexpected, though.

At first he had been pissed off with the three idjits for bringing another innocent into their screwed up and dangerous lives. But this teenage girl had _already_ been in the life for some time now, and was drowning in the big bad world all alone. Her biological parents were dead, and the Winchesters and Castiel were all she had left. Bobby had grown fond of the spunky blond who managed to fit right into their odd family, and he couldn't help but feel a warmth in his chest whenever she called him Gramps. He would never admit that to any of _them_ , though. He had a tough reputation to uphold after all.

And then of course, there was Crowley. Somewhere along the line, he and the King of Hell had become best friends - something he hadn't seen coming at all. Which was why the demon was currently leaning against the wall watching Bobby train his grandkid how to shoot.

"Great job, lass," Crowley remarked, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "Pretty soon you'll be as good as Rocky and Bullwinkle."

Claire laughed and pulled the trigger again, her shot landing perfectly within the bullseye. "I already out-golf my Dad, why not out-shoot him, too?"

Crowley walked over and sat down in a chair, a glass of Bourbon appearing in his hand. "Hmm... That _would_ really get his knickers in a bunch, eh? Do it."

Claire fired off a few more shots while Bobby watched on. "She's a natural," he said, feeling a little bit proud of the girl. He turned to look at the demon. "So, what brings ya here?"

Crowley waved a hand, taking a long swig of his drink. "Needed a break. Everyone's been trying to lick my bootstraps for months now. I admire loyalty, sure, but I _hate_ ass-kissing."

"Perks of bein' the King I imagine." Bobby adjusted his trucker cap, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "Always someone to wait on ya hand and foot..."

"Yes, but demons are only loyal to the highest bidder, Robert," Crowley replied. "But there are some that want my head for being so close to you lot. I dare them to make a move on me." His eyes briefly flashed red for a moment. "they think I'm not as evil as I once was."

"You're not, ya idjit."

"They don't have to know that!" Crowley scowled.

"Hey, Gramps. Look at that!" Claire exclaimed, pointing to the targets as they began moving towards them.

Bobby looked over at the targets with a chuckle. "Yep. You're definitely gonna out-shoot your old man, kid." Bobby held out his hand for the gun. He might be teaching her how to shoot, but it didn't mean she could hold onto the damn thing all the time. That was just an accident waiting to happen.

"Maybe _Dean_ , but not Cas," Claire pouted, handing the gun over reluctantly.

"Not true, love," Crowley said, swishing the liquid around in his glass. "Cas might be a powerful warrior of God and all that, but he's shit at using guns. Better with a blade, that one."

Claire perked up. "Really? Awesome!"

The theme song from _Doctor Who_ began to play and Bobby fished his cell phone out of his pocket. Crowley raised his eyebrow in amusement but Bobby ignored him. "Yeah?" he answered.

"Hey, Bobby. It's me," Sam said through the other line.

"You guys find a hunt yet?" Bobby asked.

"Sure did. Werewolves, we think. We should be home in a day or two."

"Good. 'Bout time you boys got outta my hair."

"You wouldn't have it any other way."

"Yeah, yeah. Anything else?"

"Actually, yes." There was a sound of a door opening and closing, then Sam's voice got lower. "I wish you had been there earlier. Cas actually showed up during dinner with a giant teddy bear!"

Bobby burst into laughter, causing Claire and Crowley to stare at him. He held up a finger. "Are you serious? For Dean, I expect."

"Yep. Dean didn't know what to do, and the entire restaurant was watching. Apparently, Cas did some research about 'human mating rituals'."

"Wow. Now I wish I would have gone with ya idjits when ya asked."

"Don't worry, you'll get to see it soon enough. Anyway, I gotta head inside. Dean is glaring at me through the window and I'm worried he's gonna send his boyfriend out here to smite my ass."

"See ya later, boy. Be careful."

"Will do."

Bobby hung up, relaying what Sam had just told him. By the end of the tale, the other two were holding their sides as they laughed. It felt good to laugh like that - it had been far too long since any of them had been able to do that. Bobby made his way upstairs, passing by Charlie who was sitting at the table typing away at her laptop. She had become like a daughter to him, another member of the Winchester clan that had softened his heart. He ruffled her red hair on his way to the kitchen, earning a squeak of annoyance in return.

"Gee, thanks, Dad!" She yelled after him. "Not like I was going to go on a date or anything!"

"You look fine!"

She muttered something in response, but he didn't hear. It was probably something unlady-like, but _very_ Winchester-esque. He just grinned and started making dinner. He decided on spaghetti tonight, something simple he could make that would create leftovers for awhile. Not that they ever lasted with this brood, but still. As he was filling up the pot of water, Claire came into the kitchen. She grabbed a can of soda and leaned against the counter.

"Hey, kid," Bobby said, sliding the pot onto a burner. "Ready to eat soon?"

"Yep. Thanks for teaching me how to shoot today."

"No problem. I don't like that we have to teach you in the first place, but - "

"Better safe than sorry?" she supplied, with a smile.

"You got it in one." He studied her for a moment, noticing a worried expression on her face. "You okay?"

She shrugged, and walked over to sit at the breakfast nook. "I guess so. I've just been thinking a lot lately."

He sat opposite her, resting his elbows on the table. "Thinkin' good, or thinkin' bad?"

"Both? Maybe, I don't know." She sighed, her blue eyes lost for a moment.

"Out with it, kid. I'm all ears," the older hunter said gently.

She smiled at him again. "Thanks. I just... what if I'm a burden to Dean and Cas?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

She wrapped her arms around herself, looking like the lost little girl that was probably still inside her. "They adopted me. But they're hunters... they have enough to worry about with adding _me_ to the mix. I was thinking that I should just go or something."

Bobby shook his head. "Claire, listen to me. I know you've been through a lot, and I know you think that running is the answer when you get scared." His eyes softened as he looked at her. "But there's no need to run anymore. Dean and Cas love ya... heck we all love ya. You're _home_. Nobody wants ya to go anywhere. I promise you that."

A tear slipped down Claire's cheek and she hastily wiped it away. "So I'm not in the way? Dean and Cas are happy with me?"

"The question is, are you happy with them?"

"Of course," the teen said instantly. "They're awesome to me. I don't know what I'd do without them."

"Then let yourself enjoy it," Bobby replied. "Or else you'll regret never fully giving yourself a chance at happiness - at family."

Claire stood up, and walked around the table, hugging the hunter tightly. "Thanks, Gramps. I love you too, by the way."

Bobby smiled and patted the girl's hair. "Good. Now go wash your hands for dinner."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know you guys enjoyed the fluff, but now's the time for a little Dean angst. They might love each other, but that doesn't mean everything is going to run perfectly smooth from the get-go. It's a good thing he has such a patient angel by his side. P.S. John is an asshole. Homophobic language.**

When they had finished the werewolf case, Dean decided it was time to take his angel out for a proper date.

Sure, they had gone out alone before, but this was different. Castiel was his _boyfriend_ now and he was publicly announcing that he was in a _gay_ relationship. All those years of John Winchester's disgusted voice whispering in his head about how homosexuality was an abomination was a big factor of why he hadn't acted on his feelings sooner. He never expected that his daughter Claire would shove him and the angel into the dungeon until they talked about those feelings. He supposed he owed her for that one, because he probably wouldn't have done it otherwise. He hadn't gotten to the PDA portion of their relationship just yet... they hadn't even kissed, but this was Cas. His best friend, his guardian angel, not some fling at a bar. He wanted to do this right.

Dean pulled the Impala to a stop in front of a 50s style diner they had passed on the way into town. The name _Tiffany's_ was emblazoned across the front in bright red neon, with a winking neon-blue woman just under that. Dean sat there for a moment, hands gripping the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead. He had no doubts about his feelings for Castiel, but this was still very different for him. It had been years since he was in a semi-committed relationship for one, and for two, this was the first time he had ever been with another man. Sure, occasionally he would check another guy out (Dr. Sexy for example), but he never acted on it. He had been too much of a damn coward to even try. So he stuck to picking up one night stands in shady bars, and buried his less-than-hetero thoughts deep down. It seemed safer that way, until Castiel strolled into that barn on that fateful September day.

"Dean. We don't have to do this. We could go somewhere else if you like. Just the two of us."

He glanced over at the angel who had that understanding look in his blue eyes. Even after all this time it still amazed him that Castiel knew him so well. Despite his nervousness about the situation, his best friend _deserved_ this, so Dean Winchester was going to man the fuck up and walk through those damn doors. "Nah, I'm fine. You ready?"

Castiel nodded and slid out of the passenger side. Dean took a deep breath and followed suit. Together they walked inside and waited for the hostess to seat them. She gave them a bright,friendly smile and led them to a booth near the bar. "Let me know when you're ready to order," she said cheerfully, and left them to their date.

Dean picked up his menu, his eyes scanning over it's contents, trying to ignore the erratic beating of his heart. He already knew what he was going to order, but he needed a moment to himself to get it together. He _loved_ Castiel, so much that it physically hurt sometimes, but when you're conditioned for something for your entire life, it's hard to change your thinking that quickly. John had made him feel ashamed the first time he caught Dean checking out a boy that was staying in the next motel room over. Dean had been beaten that night, his father's belt ripping into his skin so hard it felt like it was tearing the flesh clean off. Luckily, John had dropped Sam off at the library, so his little brother didn't have to witness that, or end up in the line of fire.

 _"I raised you to be a hunter, a tough man who gets the job done, not some fairy ass faggot."_

Dean squeezed his eyes shut at the memory, wincing as he remembered that terrible night. He hadn't even done anything with the kid, but John had saw him _look_ , and for him that was enough.

"Dean, if you need to talk, I'm here," Castiel said, his gravelly voice cutting through the terrible memory.

The hunter nodded, putting the menu down and looking across the table. "Sorry. Just got a lot on my mind."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the angel asked. "I am perfectly fine with - "

Dean reached out and grabbed the other man's hand. "Cas, I'm sure. Thanks for being so patient with me."

Castiel smiled. "Of course, Dean. You have always been patient with me when I don't always understand certain things."

Dean chuckled, leaning back against the red plastic. "That's different. You are a friggin' angel who was dropped into that... _vessel_ , and suddenly had to learn thousands of years of human culture."

"I knew some of it already," Castiel said thoughtfully. "But things like music, movies, television - that was all very new."

"We still gotta do a _Star Wars_ marathon sometime," Dean replied, grinning at the angel. "You remind me a lot of Yoda for some reason."

Castiel tilted his head. "I remind you of a small green alien who talks backwards?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah. I forgot Meta-douche downloaded pop culture into your brain."

Castiel held a hand up to his head for a moment before dropping it again. "I suppose in some ways it was a good thing. Now I understand your references more than before."

"It was kind of cute, though."

"What was?"

"The way you didn't understand. You were like a little lost puppy."

Castiel glared at him. "I am a millennium old wavelength of celestial intent, _not_ a puppy, Dean."

Dean put his hands up and smirked. "Alright, alright. No need to get all 'smiteful Angel of the Lord' on me now, babe."

The angel huffed and picked up his menu. "Sometimes your incessant stubborn nature does make me want to smite you."

Dean's mouth dropped open in shock. "What? You'd really smite me?"

Castiel shook his head. "No, Dean. I love you too much for that. You just frustrate me sometimes when you rush headlong into danger. Or have Bobby teach our daughter how to shoot," he added, with a pointed look at Dean.

The hunter shrugged. "No kid of mine is going into the world unprepared."

"Ready to order?" the waitress asked as she came up to the booth.

"Double cheeseburger with bacon and a chocolate shake," Dean said, handing the menu over to her.

Castiel looked displeased with him, but ordered the same thing as well. "One day you're going to have a heart attack," the angel chastised.

Dean patted his stomach. "It'll be worth it. Death by burger. Besides, you just got the same thing, hypocrite."

"I'm not human. It won't affect me the way it will affect you."

"Well la-di-dah." Dean waved his hands dramatically. "I'm sorry I'm just a boring old human without superpowers."

Castiel frowned. "I don't find you boring. You are the most interesting man I have ever met. And I met Jesus."

Dean wasn't sure which of those statements to comment on, so he decided to go with the one that wouldn't end in an uncomfortable chick flick moment. "Dude... you met Jesus? _The_ Jesus?"

"Was there another that I'm unaware of?"

"Nope. So, what was he like?" Dean asked, leaning forward again.

Castiel paused, squinting his eyes as he thought. "Your bible got a lot of information wrong about him."

"It's not _my_ bible. I never even believed in God until..." He trailed off, looking at the angel who regarded him with curious blue eyes. If someone had told him 8 years ago that he would one day be sitting in a diner on a date with his _angel boyfriend_ , he would have punched them in the face and then had them committed for being fucking insane.

"Until?"

"Until you rescued me from Hell," Dean said softly, averting his eyes now. "Even when you told me that you were an angel, I didn't believe you. And then I just thought you were a dick."

Castiel fiddled with his napkin, looking slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry for how I acted back then. I thought I was doing the right thing because it's what my Father commanded."

"You ended up doing the right thing," Dean told him. "You chose the side of humanity, and we were able to prevent the world from ending."

"I caused so many other problems after that," the angel said with a sigh.

"Do you ever regret choosing humanity?" Dean asked. "Choosing... me?"

Castiel looked up, surprised at the question. "No. Why would you think that?"

Dean rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. "It's just - you lost a lot the past 8 years. I might not have liked your family, but they were still your family."

"The only decisions I regret are the ones that ended up getting you or Sam hurt. My brothers and sisters were warriors, conditioned to focus on the mission no matter the cost. That's not a good way to live."

Dean thought back to his earlier memory of his father. "Was it easy for you to change? To be able to get past all that conditioning and learn to do what _you_ felt was right?"

Castiel considered this for a minute. "I would say that in my case, there has always been a part of me that was broken. At least, that's what they would have me believe. Naomi once told me that I 'came off the line with a crack on my chassis'. I suspect she might be right about that."

"There's _nothing_ wrong with you, Cas," Dean defended, feeling anger pool in his gut at the mention of Naomi. She may have tried to help them in the end, but he never forgot how she mind-controlled Castiel to kill him.

Castiel smiled back at him. "Thank you, Dean. But I _did_ come to a realization a long time ago."

"What's that?"

"My Father created me just as I am. If I am truly 'broken' then that's how I'm meant to be."

"You still have faith in Him?"

The angel nodded. "Yes. I believe one day He will come back, when we need Him the most."

"I ain't holdin' my breath," Dean scoffed, taking a drink of his water.

"Dean, I don't expect you to have faith in God. I just hope that..." Castiel averted his eyes again, looking down. "I just hope you still have faith in me, despite all I've done."

"Of course I do, man. Why would you think otherwise?"

"You didn't seem like you really wanted to be here tonight," the angel replied. "I assumed it was me."

Dean felt like an asshole. Castiel thought that Dean was ashamed of him? He grabbed the angel's hand in his again. "I am not ashamed of you. My problems are my own stupid fears, courtesy of John Winchester and his deep seeded homophobia."

"You believe that if he were alive right now, he wouldn't accept you for being with a man?"

"I know he wouldn't." Dean told the angel about the memory he had earlier, and by the end Castiel was clutching Dean's hand so tight the hunter thought he was going to break it. "Whoa, easy there, tiger. You're gonna break the damn thing off."

"My apologies, Dean. I just do not approve of your father's... methods."

"Join the club," Dean said, " We have t-shirts and white hug-me jackets."

"So you're not... unattracted to me?"

Dean laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Cas, trust me. You don't have to worry about that. You are the hottest dude I've ever met. But you're also the first dude I've ever been with, so..."

"So this is just new for you."

"Exactly."

Castiel breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. Thank you, Dean."

"Huh? For what?"

"For giving me this chance." Castiel's eyes slid over to his, a smirk appearing on his face. "Even if it only took 8 years to do it."

For the second time that night, Dean's mouth dropped open. "Seriously, Cas? You could have said something, too, you know!"

"It was much more fun making Sam feel awkward while we stared at each other."

"You _knew_ about that?"

"Of course. I'm an angel, you ass, not an idiot."

Dean burst into laughter at that. "Oh man. Cas, you are awesome. You know that right?"

"I must be, to earn the love of Dean Winchester."

Dean felt speechless at that, the laughter leaving him as he gazed across the table at the man who rescued him from Hell, from Heaven, and from himself. "Thank you for saving me," he whispered.

"I think we saved each other."


	4. Chapter 4

Just before they headed home, the brothers and Castiel decided to head to the store to stock up on supplies. As soon as they got inside, the angel wandered off as he usually did, while Sam and Dean walked towards the food aisles. With all the extra mouths to feed at home, they ended up with at least 2 carts full of stuff by the time they left. It was a good thing the Impala had such a huge trunk.

As he watched Dean pick up a cherry pie and gaze at it as if he wanted to make out with it, Sam was curious how his date with Castiel went last night. Dean never went on dates, he went on _hook-ups_. Another new town, another random bar-fly. He was proud of his brother for being in a committed relationship and letting himself be happy for once. Dean was always too busy trying to save the world and keep Sam safe that he never even considered the possibility before.

For awhile, Sam had stopped trying to find someone, too. His quest to find the apple pie life always ended badly, usually with their horrible demise. He began to realize that they would never have that kind of life, not with the dangerous life they led. Then Rowena came along, and despite the fact she was trying to kill them and manipulate Crowley, he couldn't help but feel attracted to her. He seriously wondered who was more fucked up in the head at this point. Maybe both of them. Maybe all of them.

It actually made sense that Sam and Dean both ended up with supernatural beings. No civilian would be able to handle the two of them - not with their PTSD and constant nightmares ripping them from their sleep and causing them to scream themselves hoarse. No normal person would be able to commit to a life of _that_ , and Sam wouldn't expect them to. But Rowena... she seemed perfect for him. She wasn't into all that romantic crap, she gave him his space, and she didn't try to change him. If she happened to be sleeping next to him when he woke up from a nightmare she would simply cast a spell to clear his mind of it so he could sleep peacefully until morning. He knew she wasn't entirely on the side of 'good', but that line had been blurred a long time ago for all of them, and he coul d hardly judge her for that. Not that he'd condone her going on a mass killing spree, but still.

"Earth to Sammy."

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked over to Dean, who held up another pie in his hand. "Huh? What did you say?"

Dean furrowed his brow. "I said, this one is gluten-free, thought you might like it. You okay, man?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sure, toss it in the cart."

Dean put the two desserts into the basket and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'm surprised, though."

"Why?"

"Normally you'd be asking me how the date went, did we kiss, did we hold hands, blah blah." Dean waved his hand.

This was a change. Dean actually wanted to talk about it? "Well, I wasn't sure if you wanted to share yet or not," Sam replied, pushing the cart forward.

Dean shrugged. "Might help me get used to everything, you know?"

Sam nodded. "That makes sense. So, how'd it go."

A smile broke out over Dean's face. That was a good sign. "It went great, Sammy. I thought it would be more awkward, but I've known Cas for so long that it just felt... normal."

"Well, you two have been best friends for years. It's not like you just met him in a bar. You've _died_ for each other."

"Eh, that wasn't what was bothering me though." Dean stopped, his eyes trailing over the boxes of snack cakes on the shelf. "I was letting my past control my future."

"John?"

Dean looked at him warily. "What do you mean?"

"You were worried about what John would think, right?"

"Part of it, yeah."

"Because he was a homophobe."

Surprise flickered across Dean's face. " _You_ knew?" he nearly whispered.

Sam knew. More than he wanted to, in fact. He took a deep breath, not really wanting to have this conversation here, but maybe it needed to be said. "I know what happened all those years ago, Dean."

Dean took a step back, fists clenching at his sides. "What are you..."

"John was in a rage that night when he dropped me off at the library. I knew it had to do with you, so as soon as he drove away, I ran back to the hotel." Sam closed his eyes. "I was too late, though. By the time I got there, he was standing over you, and yelling about how you were a... you know... I was angry with myself because I couldn't help you. So I called Bobby. He came up with a plan to get us away from John for awhile."

Dean's eyes widened with realization. "That's why John dropped us off at Bobby's for the next few months."

Sam nodded. "Bobby claimed he had just dealt with a young hunter who was gay, and John asked him if he could help 'man us up', too. Gay boot camp, he called it. John wanted me there just in case I caught the gay." Sam rolled his eyes. "Dumb ass."

"All these years of me trying to save you, and you were trying to save me..." Dean said thoughtfully.

"Of course, Dean. You're my big brother." Sam clapped him on the shoulder. "We look out for each other, it's what we do."

Dean smiled at him. "Thanks for that, Sammy."

Castiel wandered up then, his arms laden with purple satin pillows and a matching comforter. He grunted as he tossed it into the basket. "For Claire," he said, adjusting his trench coat. "Her current blankets and pillows are scratchy and flat. I decided that she needed some new things."

Sam began to push the cart forward again. "They were all we had at the time."

Dean slung an arm around the angel's shoulder. "Good going, Cas. Even _I_ didn't think about that."

Castiel glanced at the pie in the cart and then back at Dean. "Of course not, but you remembered your pie."

The hunter frowned, looking personally affronted. "Hey, pie is awesome!"

"You didn't even _consider_ our daughter might have need for blankets and pillows!"

"Of course I did! She just didn't tell me that it was a problem!"

"She didn't tell you because she doesn't want to burden us!"

"She is family, how can she be a burden?"

"I don't know, Dean, why don't you tell me, since you seem to understand teenage girls _so_ well."

"Yes, because a celestial being knows more than me, apparently."

"I suspect if she was a baked dessert you would understand her."

Sam couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped him until he was doubling over. Dean and Castiel stopped, looking at him in confusion. These two idiots were _such_ an old married couple.

"Problem, Sammy?" Dean asked, with a bitch face that could rival Sam's.

"Nothing," Sam replied, wiping tears from his eyes. "Carry on."

"Is he your boyfriend?"

They all looked down at the new voice. A little girl, about 6 or 7 stood there, curiosity in her big green eyes. Dean's face turned red at first, and he put a big goofy grin on his face. "Uh... yeah he is, actually," he stammered out.

The girl smiled and clapped her hands. "Really? Does that mean I can have a girlfriend?"

Castiel bent down to face the child, all the frustration fading from his face. "You can be with whoever you love. Never let anyone tell you otherwise."

"I think it would be fun to have a girlfriend. We could braid our hair and play with Barbies." She looked excited at the idea. It was amazing how open minded children were.

A woman walked up to them, in her mid-40s, out of breath and afraid. She scooped the little girl up in her arms. "Oh my God, Cara, there you are! You can't just run off like that!" She looked at the other three men. "I'm sorry if she bothered you."

Dean shook his head. "Nope. You got an awesome kid there, Miss."

She smiled, clutching the little girl to her. "Thank you. I try, but it's hard being a single mother in this day and age. Do you have any children?"

"I recently adopted a teenage girl," Dean said, smiling fondly as he spoke.

"Wow. A teenager! You really have your work cut out for you!"

Dean chuckled and grabbed Castiel's hand. "Yep. Luckily, I don't have to do it alone."

For a moment Sam worried that the mother's face would fill with disgust and storm off. Her expression didn't change into anything but support.

"That's amazing. I'm really happy for you. I lost my husband last year in Afghanistan."

"I'm sorry," Sam said, feeling bad for this person who seemed to have a kind heart.

She nodded. "He died doing what he felt was right - keeping our country safe. At least I have something to remember him by," she said, kissing her daughter on the head.

"My name is Dean, by the way," the older Winchester said. "This is my boyfriend Cas, and my brother Sam."

She smiled at them. "I'm Vera. You guys live in Lebanon?"

"Yep. Just picking up some supplies before we go home."

"It's really a great town. I love it here, been living here all my life."

"We just moved to Lebanon a couple years ago."

Vera thought for a moment. "I don't know if this would be too forward, or creepy, since we just met, but you said you had a teenage daughter, right?"

"Right."

"Do you think she would ever babysit for me? I work so many hours lately and could use someone reliable."

"I think she would like that," Castiel answered.

"Great! Let me give you my number..."


End file.
